Patient Readiness Data Unique in Canada

An important outcome of eReferral is the BJH SCN’s unique ability to generate data on patient readiness for surgery. “These data make it possible to differentiate between involuntary waiting periods, which are caused by problems in the public health care system, and voluntary waits, which are patient-initiated,” said Christina Barr, ABJHI Project Manager. “For example, patients who select a surgeon with a long waiting list even though they are offered an alternate surgeon with a shorter wait, are deemed to have voluntarily delayed surgery.”

Being able to differentiate between involuntary and voluntary waits allows AHS to focus efforts on the areas of system performance over which it has influence.